Day Four Part One: Mesa Verde
Day Four of our camping trip (don't worry, it's almost over), took us to Mesa Verde, home of 13-Century Cliff Dwellings.
First off, Mesa Verde was truly one of the most magical places I've ever been. Like Aztec, it had a very powerful energy to it.
There are several sets of cliff dwellings here. This one, the largest, is called the Cliff Palace and was built around 1150 to 1200 AD and abandoned around 1300 AD. Originally, the Pueblo people lived on the mesa top, but then, for no known reason, suddenly moved down.
It pretty much looks like a little city and once housed about 120 people or so.
This two-story tower is one of the most unusual features, as it is fairly rare in early Pueblo architecture. The round thing in the foreground is a kiva. The number of kivas at Cliff Palace exceeds the number of dwelling rooms, prompting many archaeologist to believe that this place functioned more as a gathering place, an administrative or spiritual center, rather than as a constant dwelling.
This top dwelling is called the "Speakers' House," and is, presumably, where the leader of the council resided.
Getting in and out of the Palace was kind of an adventure. When it was first discovered, some guy swung down there on a rope, but the national Parks Service soon realized the slightly dangerous and possibly litigious implications of that. Basically, there is now a series of extraordinarily narrow stairs (carved in the 1930's from the seeds of the original stairs and wedged between two rocks) and long ladders. One of them was over 32 feet.
Unfortunately, Andrew was not in fron of me the whole time. At one point, I was following this Russian woman who was, inexplicably, wearing black socks and clogs - very, very high clogs. Now, honestly, people, who the hell wears clogs (and stretch pants) to a National Park. Does the term "cliff dwelling" not imply that climbing just might be involved?
This is Spruce Tree House, another, smaller cliff dwelling. The advantage of this one is a more restored kiva and the ability to walk around on your own.
Me climbing out of a restored Kiva. Believe it or not, for all my gracelessness, I don't mind ladders. I was born in the Year of the Monkey, after all!
On top of the mesa is an even older set of dwellings, some of which actually outlasted Cliff Palace. This is likely because it was a farming community and they provided food to all peoples. they even built a 18,000 gallon reservoir that seems to date back to about 900 AD.
Cool spiral brick.
More of Mesa Verde HERE.
First off, Mesa Verde was truly one of the most magical places I've ever been. Like Aztec, it had a very powerful energy to it.
There are several sets of cliff dwellings here. This one, the largest, is called the Cliff Palace and was built around 1150 to 1200 AD and abandoned around 1300 AD. Originally, the Pueblo people lived on the mesa top, but then, for no known reason, suddenly moved down.
It pretty much looks like a little city and once housed about 120 people or so.
This two-story tower is one of the most unusual features, as it is fairly rare in early Pueblo architecture. The round thing in the foreground is a kiva. The number of kivas at Cliff Palace exceeds the number of dwelling rooms, prompting many archaeologist to believe that this place functioned more as a gathering place, an administrative or spiritual center, rather than as a constant dwelling.
This top dwelling is called the "Speakers' House," and is, presumably, where the leader of the council resided.
Getting in and out of the Palace was kind of an adventure. When it was first discovered, some guy swung down there on a rope, but the national Parks Service soon realized the slightly dangerous and possibly litigious implications of that. Basically, there is now a series of extraordinarily narrow stairs (carved in the 1930's from the seeds of the original stairs and wedged between two rocks) and long ladders. One of them was over 32 feet.
Unfortunately, Andrew was not in fron of me the whole time. At one point, I was following this Russian woman who was, inexplicably, wearing black socks and clogs - very, very high clogs. Now, honestly, people, who the hell wears clogs (and stretch pants) to a National Park. Does the term "cliff dwelling" not imply that climbing just might be involved?
This is Spruce Tree House, another, smaller cliff dwelling. The advantage of this one is a more restored kiva and the ability to walk around on your own.
Me climbing out of a restored Kiva. Believe it or not, for all my gracelessness, I don't mind ladders. I was born in the Year of the Monkey, after all!
On top of the mesa is an even older set of dwellings, some of which actually outlasted Cliff Palace. This is likely because it was a farming community and they provided food to all peoples. they even built a 18,000 gallon reservoir that seems to date back to about 900 AD.
Cool spiral brick.
More of Mesa Verde HERE.
